OVERVIEW: The ECMC Foundation is an education and career readiness grantmaker with a tightly-focused portfolio that prioritizes postsecondary education and vocational training for underserved students. This funder aims to prepare students from … [Read more...] about ECMC Foundation
ECMC Foundation
Who’s Backing Rural Ed? A Selection of Key Funders to Know
A Look at the Trellis Foundation’s Work to Reduce Barriers to Success for College Students
One of the big themes that emerged in IP’s State of American Philanthropy survey on giving for higher education was the degree to which funders prioritize support for student access and success. Grantmakers want to ensure that students — especially … [Read more...] about A Look at the Trellis Foundation’s Work to Reduce Barriers to Success for College Students
Why This Major Antipoverty Funder Is Ramping Up Its Investment in HBCUs
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have drawn increasing recognition and support from philanthropy in recent years. In 2021, IP’s Mike Scutari spotlighted a long list of funders investing in HBCUs, and Ade Adeniji recently reported … [Read more...] about Why This Major Antipoverty Funder Is Ramping Up Its Investment in HBCUs
A Philanthropic Push to Diversify the Ranks of Researchers in Economics and Other Social Sciences
New faculty members often face a catch-22: it's hard to land research grants because they haven't the time or resources to develop their research interests, but they can't do the research without the grants. Since grants are crucial to an academic's … [Read more...] about A Philanthropic Push to Diversify the Ranks of Researchers in Economics and Other Social Sciences
Eight Questions for Jacob Fraire, President of ECMC Foundation
In February 2023, ECMC Foundation, a national funder focused on improving equity in postsecondary education, welcomed Jacob Fraire as its new president. Fraire succeeds retiring head of ECMC Foundation Peter Taylor.Fraire grew up in El Paso, Texas, … [Read more...] about Eight Questions for Jacob Fraire, President of ECMC Foundation
The Huge Philanthropic Gift at the Heart of a Major University Initiative to Advance Computing
With a certain amount of fanfare, the University of Southern California last week announced a school-wide, $1-billion-plus initiative to expand and transform the teaching and study of advanced computing throughout the institution’s programs and … [Read more...] about The Huge Philanthropic Gift at the Heart of a Major University Initiative to Advance Computing
Seven Questions for Stephen Quake, the New Head of Science at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
As the chief philanthropic vehicle of Meta multibillionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) has the financial resources to take on big challenges. It has done so: CZI set a goal to drive biomedical research … [Read more...] about Seven Questions for Stephen Quake, the New Head of Science at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
In the Housing-Starved Bay Area, a MacKenzie Scott Gift Fuels Grassroots Approaches
California is in the midst of a decades-long housing crisis, which the pandemic has only made worse. There simply isn’t enough housing for the almost 40 million people living in the state, and attempts to remedy the problem have been slow. According … [Read more...] about In the Housing-Starved Bay Area, a MacKenzie Scott Gift Fuels Grassroots Approaches
Funder Spotlight: How the ECMC Foundation Helps Underserved College Students Thrive
IP Funder Spotlights provide quick rundowns of the grantmakers that are on our radar, including a few key details on how they operate and what they’re up to right now. Today, we take a look at a national grantmaker focused on helping underserved … [Read more...] about Funder Spotlight: How the ECMC Foundation Helps Underserved College Students Thrive
With Truth Under Attack Daily, a Big Philanthropic Prize Will Celebrate the Study of History
Every now and then, we write about a philanthropist or foundation that gives a significant cash prize to honor or support important work, such as the $1 million Kavli Prize for the sciences. Of course, the Nobel is the best-known of them all, but … [Read more...] about With Truth Under Attack Daily, a Big Philanthropic Prize Will Celebrate the Study of History
With Universities Feeling Financial Pressure, an Initiative Looks to Spur Partnerships
Before the pandemic struck, the Kresge Foundation’s website mentioned an opportunity to help universities save money by partnering with other schools to consolidate and share “back office” services like payroll, finance and IT. Only one organization … [Read more...] about With Universities Feeling Financial Pressure, an Initiative Looks to Spur Partnerships
Many College Students Are Hungry and Even Homeless. Who’s Paying Attention?
As the holidays hit, college dorms, cafeterias and food pantries close, and most students head home. But for those left behind, locked doors cut off lifelines to meeting basic needs. Food and housing insecurity doesn’t just affect a few. The annual … [Read more...] about Many College Students Are Hungry and Even Homeless. Who’s Paying Attention?
Capital Risks: Is There a Limit to Alumni Support for Tuition-Busting Construction Projects?
News out of Cedar Falls, Iowa underscores the complex dilemma facing fundraisers and administrators at schools grappling with dwindling enrollment, tepid public funding, and escalating tuition. In July, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), facing … [Read more...] about Capital Risks: Is There a Limit to Alumni Support for Tuition-Busting Construction Projects?
“A Complete Nightmare.” What a Vexed Naming Gift Says About Higher Ed Mega-Giving
In early November, the New York-based W. P. Carey Foundation gave the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Law School a $150 million gift earmarked to increase financial support for historically underrepresented students, expand the school’s pro bono … [Read more...] about “A Complete Nightmare.” What a Vexed Naming Gift Says About Higher Ed Mega-Giving
“A Critical Driver.” How Higher Ed Giving is Fueling Chicago’s Surging Tech Industry
Chicago’s tech scene is on a roll. Tech is the city’s fastest-growing industry sector, with over 4,000 digital companies now calling the Windy City home. Last year, the Chicago area added nearly 6,000 tech-related jobs, and openings for emerging … [Read more...] about “A Critical Driver.” How Higher Ed Giving is Fueling Chicago’s Surging Tech Industry
As Student Debt Transforms the Middle Class, a Donor Provides Relief
Scan Inside Philanthropy’s Higher Ed vertical and you’ll often find alumni cutting big checks to elite schools whose students predominantly come from affluent families. But you’ll also notice a growing body of equity-minded donors ramping up support … [Read more...] about As Student Debt Transforms the Middle Class, a Donor Provides Relief
“Dominant Trend.” Here’s What Foundations That Fund Higher Ed Care About Most
The Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) and the TIAA Institute recently released a new study titled “Philanthropy in Higher Education: Priorities and Approaches of Private Foundations.” Participants included members of Grantmakers for Education … [Read more...] about “Dominant Trend.” Here’s What Foundations That Fund Higher Ed Care About Most
“We Had Big Plans.” Amid Controversy, a Chastised Donor Revokes a Major Campus Gift
News out of Oxford, Mississippi, provides a striking example of a decades-long partnership between a donor and a university that instantly evaporated thanks to a Facebook post and the lengths to which a “disgraced” donor is willing to go to claw back … [Read more...] about “We Had Big Plans.” Amid Controversy, a Chastised Donor Revokes a Major Campus Gift
Amid Growing Skepticism About Elite Universities, Alumni Dig Deep for Financial Aid
Last November, when Michael Bloomberg gave Johns Hopkins University $1.8 billion earmarked for student aid, he said, “We need more graduates to direct their alumni giving to financial aid.” His comment implied that alumni donors may want to … [Read more...] about Amid Growing Skepticism About Elite Universities, Alumni Dig Deep for Financial Aid
A Blockbuster Gift From T. Denny Sanford Attacks the High Cost of College Education
He’s at it again: T. Denny Sanford, the billionaire credit and banking mogul who wants to die broke, announced a new $350 million gift today. This one is going to National University in San Diego, bringing his donations to that institution to a total … [Read more...] about A Blockbuster Gift From T. Denny Sanford Attacks the High Cost of College Education
“In the Same Lifeboat.” A Funder Looks to Uncover and Apply the Science Behind Kindness
In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey dumped several feet of rain on Houston, Texas, causing catastrophic flooding. Official responders didn’t have enough personnel or boats to rescue all the people trapped by the rising waters. So private citizens who … [Read more...] about “In the Same Lifeboat.” A Funder Looks to Uncover and Apply the Science Behind Kindness
In a Higher Ed Landscape Flush with Cash, Are More Big Gifts Starting to Reach HBCUs?
Featuring a controversial donor and corporate intrigue, a recent Inside Philanthropy piece on ex-Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter and his previous employer’s gifts to two universities made for breathless reading. Yet from a purely financial … [Read more...] about In a Higher Ed Landscape Flush with Cash, Are More Big Gifts Starting to Reach HBCUs?
“A Built-In Advantage.” Why U.S. Universities are Looking Across the Atlantic to British Foundations
The American higher ed fundraising boom has officially gone transcontinental. A recent study analyzing British foundations’ support for non-U.K. universities by UniversityPhilanthropy.com and the Cape Partnership found that North American … [Read more...] about “A Built-In Advantage.” Why U.S. Universities are Looking Across the Atlantic to British Foundations
With Donor Support, a Regional University Looks to be a Leader in Coastal Resiliency
Hurricane Dorian’s recent path of destruction provided an alarming reminder about the importance of “coastal resiliency,” defined by the National Ocean Service as “building the ability of a community to bounce back after hazardous events such as … [Read more...] about With Donor Support, a Regional University Looks to be a Leader in Coastal Resiliency
Leveraging Donor Dollars, a Nonprofit Clears Millions in Medical Debt for Low-Income Americans
The debt buying industry has often been lambasted for predatory behavior, but RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit that buys and forgives medical debt for eligible recipients, presents a striking exception. In July, over 10,000 people in rural areas of … [Read more...] about Leveraging Donor Dollars, a Nonprofit Clears Millions in Medical Debt for Low-Income Americans
“Freeing Minds.” A Closer Look at St. John’s Bid to Cut Tuition—and Why Donors Are All In
In a bid for its future, St. John’s College, a small college with a famous “Great Books” curriculum, has begun a massive “Freeing Minds” fundraising drive to buck a prevailing tuition trend: prestige pricing. For years, small colleges have raised … [Read more...] about “Freeing Minds.” A Closer Look at St. John’s Bid to Cut Tuition—and Why Donors Are All In
Historic: How UC San Diego Became the Youngest School to Raise $2 Billion (and Counting)
One of the “new normals” in higher education fundraising finds public universities easily eclipsing their multi-billion-dollar campaign goals years ahead of schedule. The list is long and growing. The University of California San Diego (UCSD) … [Read more...] about Historic: How UC San Diego Became the Youngest School to Raise $2 Billion (and Counting)
Far Too Few Rural Americans Attend College. These Funders Want to Change That
Michael Bloomberg’s $1.8 billion gift to his alma mater Johns Hopkins University kickstarted a debate about how philanthropy can best help economically disadvantaged kids gain access to an affordable college education. Yet up until recently, the … [Read more...] about Far Too Few Rural Americans Attend College. These Funders Want to Change That
A “Wasted Opportunity?” Unpacking Michael Bloomberg’s Mega-Gift to Johns Hopkins
Editor’s Note: This article was first published on November 27, 2018.By now, you’ve heard about Michael Bloomberg’s $1.8 billion gift to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University, to help low-income and moderate-income students attend the university … [Read more...] about A “Wasted Opportunity?” Unpacking Michael Bloomberg’s Mega-Gift to Johns Hopkins
